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| United States Patent |
5,108,392
|
|
Spingler
|
April 28, 1992
|
Coagulation forceps and method of fabricating the same
Abstract
Tweezers or forceps, in particular coagulation forceps, comprising two
forcep arms which each have a free gripping end and which delimit a
slit-like space, preferably tapering from the gripping ends in the rest
position, and which can be moved resiliently towards each other and which
extend from a common closed zone, and a gripping element, is to be
produced in a simple and inexpensive manner and is to provide a variety of
uses. For that purpose the forceps comprise at least two shaped parts
which subdivide the closed zone in the longitudinal direction and which
are connected together with their inside surfaces bearing against each
other. In addition the forceps are to be divided on their longitudinal
axis and each of the shaped parts which are preferably of the same
configuration comprise one half of both forcep arms.
| Inventors:
|
Spingler; Rolf A. (Lottstetten-Nack, DE)
|
| Assignee:
|
United States Surgical Corporation (Norwalk, CT)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
746141 |
| Filed:
|
August 14, 1991 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
| Jun 17, 1987[DE] | 3720215 |
| Jul 04, 1987[DE] | 3722142 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
606/51; 76/119; 294/99.2; 606/210 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A61B 017/30; A61B 017/36 |
| Field of Search: |
606/210,211,51,52,131
294/99.2
433/162,157
76/119,101.1,DIG. 6
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 966325 | Aug., 1910 | Gilbert | 294/99.
|
| 985755 | Feb., 1911 | Gilbert | 294/99.
|
| 2665692 | Jan., 1954 | L'Esperance | 294/99.
|
| 3653388 | Apr., 1972 | Tenckhoff.
| |
| 3653389 | Apr., 1972 | Shannon | 606/210.
|
| 4074718 | Feb., 1978 | Morrison | 606/51.
|
| 4212305 | Jul., 1980 | Lahay | 606/210.
|
| 4452106 | Jun., 1984 | Tartagua | 606/210.
|
| 4634165 | Jan., 1987 | Russell et al.
| |
| 4793349 | Dec., 1988 | Weinrib.
| |
| 4938214 | Jul., 1990 | Specht et al.
| |
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 92170 | Oct., 1983 | EP | 128/354.
|
| 0133393 | Feb., 1985 | EP.
| |
| 0159453 | Oct., 1985 | EP.
| |
| 2577176 | Feb., 1977 | DE.
| |
| 3110666 | Aug., 1984 | DE.
| |
| 3430058 | Nov., 1987 | DE.
| |
| 2573301 | May., 1986 | FR.
| |
| 1153898 | May., 1985 | SU | 606/210.
|
| 2154930 | Sep., 1985 | GB.
| |
Primary Examiner: Thaler; Michael H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Bremer; Thomas R., Dilworth; Peter G., Barrese; Rocco S.
Parent Case Text
This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 07/518,496 filed
on May 3, 1990, now abandoned, which was a continuation of U.S.
application Ser. No. 07/207,399 filed Jun. 16, 1988, now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A forceps having upper and lower forceps arms joined at a proximal end
by a common closed zone and open at a distal end thereby defining a
slit-like space therebetween, said forceps comprising:
a first longitudinal forceps element forming a portion of each of said
upper and lower forceps arms and said common closed zone;
a second longitudinal forceps element forming a mating portion of said
upper and lower forceps arms and said common closed zone; and
pin means for joining said first and second longitudinal forceps elements
in a fixed position.
2. A forceps according to claim 1 wherein said first and second
longitudinal forceps elements each define substantially one half of said
forceps.
3. A forceps according to claim 1 further comprising separate gripping tips
attached to said distal ends of said upper and lower forceps arms.
4. A forceps according to claim 1 further comprising alignment means formed
in the upper and lower arm portions of said first and second longitudinal
forceps elements.
5. A forceps according to claim 4 wherein said alignment means comprises at
least one tab extending from each of said upper and lower forceps arms
into said slit-like space therebetween such that as said arms are closed,
said tabs serve to longitudinally align said upper and lower forceps arms.
6. A forceps according to claim 1 wherein the material of construction is
moldable plastic.
7. A forceps according to claim 1 further comprising a gripping zone formed
on each of said upper and lower forceps arms.
8. A forceps according to claim 7 wherein said gripping zone is formed of
alternating peripheral grooves defining a plurality of annular ribs.
9. A forceps having grooved upper and lower forceps arms joined at a
proximal end by a common closed zone and open at a distal end thereby
defining a slit-like space therebetween, said forceps comprising:
a first longitudinal forceps element forming a portion of each of said
grooved upper and lower forceps arms and said common closed zone;
a second longitudinal forceps element forming a mating portion of each of
said grooved upper and lower forceps arms and said common closed zone; and
pin means for joining said first and second longitudinal forceps elements
in a fixed position.
10. A forceps according to claim 9 wherein said grooved upper and lower
forceps arms define two separate axial channels extending from the
proximate to the distal ends thereof.
11. A forceps according to claim 10 further comprising separate gripping
means insertable into said channels in the distal ends of said upper and
lower forceps arms.
12. A forceps according to claim 11 wherein said gripping means is formed
of an electrically conducting material and said first and second
longitudinal forceps sections are formed from an electrically insulating
material.
13. A forceps according to claim 12 further comprising a plug pin
electrically connected through said channels to each of said gripping
means.
14. A forceps according to claim 9 further comprising a gripping zone
formed on each of said upper and lower forceps arms.
15. A forceps according to claim 9 further comprising alignment means for
accurately guiding said upper and lower forceps arms together as they are
closed.
16. A forceps according to claim 9 wherein said pin means for joining said
first and second longitudinal forceps elements comprises a pair of pins
inserted into said common closed zone.
17. A process for fabricating a forceps having upper and lower forceps arms
joined at a proximal end of a common closed zone and open at a distal end
thereby defining a slit-like space therebetween, said process comprising
the steps of:
providing a first integrally formed longitudinal forceps element including
a portion of each of said upper and lower forceps arms and a portion of
said common closed zone;
providing a second integrally formed longitudinal forceps element including
a mating portion of said upper and lower forcep arms and a mating portion
of said common closed zone; and
fixedly joining said first and second longitudinal forceps elements.
18. A process according to claim 17 wherein said steps of joining said
first and second longitudinal forceps elements is accomplished by
inserting at least one pin into said portions of said common closed zone.
19. A process according to claim 17 further comprising the steps of forming
an axial channel in each of said upper and lower forceps arms and
inserting electrically conducting gripping means in each of said axial
channels.
20. A forceps formed in accordance with the process of claim 17.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tweezers or forceps, in particular
coagulation forceps, comprising two forcep arms which each have a free
gripping end and which define a slit-like space, preferably tapering from
the gripping ends in the rest position of the arms, and which can be
resiliently moved towards each other and which extend from a common closed
zone, and a gripping element.
Such forceps are pincer-like instruments with resilient arms for gripping
and holding, such forceps being used predominantly in the surgical or
dental-technical fields, in which respect anatomical forceps are grooved,
surgical forceps are toothed and forceps for removing foreign bodies are
provided with fine tips. A particular form thereof is constituted by what
is known as coagulation forceps, the tips of which are supplied with
current.
Forceps usually comprise resilient metal strips which bear against each
other in the region of the part of the forceps referred to as the closed
zone, and are there also welded or riveted together.
Having regard to that state of the art the inventor set himself the aim of
providing tweezers or forceps of the kind set forth in the opening part of
this specification, which are cheap and easy to produce and which provide
a wide variety of uses. A particular aim on the part of the inventor is to
provide disposable or one-trip forceps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
That object is attained in that the forceps comprise at least two shaped
parts which subdivide the closed zone in the longitudinal direction and
which are connected together with their inside surfaces bearing against
each other, wherein in accordance with a further feature of the invention
the forceps are divided on their longitudinal axis and each shaped or
moulded part has a half of both forcep arms. The plane of separation
therefore extends within the forcep arms and not in the slit-like space
between the arms, as is known from the state of the art.
The shaped or moulded parts are of the same configuration, in a
particularly advantageous embodiment, so that both production and storage
are simplified. In addition it has been found desirable for the single
forcep halves to be produced from plastic material and for the two forcep
halves then to be joined together in such a way that longitudinal grooves
which in accordance with the invention are disposed in the forcep arms and
which extend through the entire body of the forceps are supplemented to
define channels in the finished forceps.
The channels in accordance with the invention make it possible to fit
separate gripping tips at the free ends of the forcep arms, to replace
them or the like, and thus considerably to increase the variety of
possible uses.
Another advantage of the forceps according to the invention is that for
example in the case of coagulation forceps, the current lines which are
connected to the gripping ends can be easily fitted into the channels
which are produced by the longitudinal grooves; in a particularly
advantageous embodiment the current conductors terminate at plug pins
which in turn can each be fixed in a respective one of the channels.
Preferably it is also possible to fit elongate members of electrically
conductive material into those channels, forming at their ends on the one
hand a gripping tip and on the other hand a contact pin.
It will be clear that the configuration of the forcep halves in accordance
with the invention provides an extremely wide range of variations in
forcep configurations, with a small storage requirement and simple
assembly options.
An aspect of importance in regard to simplification of assembly is a pin
which projects from the inside surface of the forceps half, with a blind
hole of corresponding cross-section associated with the pin in mirror
image relationship on the other side of the longitudinal axis of the
forceps; when two forcep halves are fitted together the above-described
components engage one into the other and thus permit rapid centering
relative to each other and possibly even ensure that the two halves of the
forceps are firmly held together.
A particular way of guiding the forcep arms in the gripping operation, that
is to say when the forcep arms are moved towards each other, also lies
within the scope of the invention. That configuration involves at least
one pair of portions formed on the forcep arm halves, wherein
advantageously such a portion extends from each of the forcep arms into
the slit-like space, in such a way that the inside surface of one such
portion slides along against the inside surface of the other such portion
in the above-described gripping operation, thus providing for precise
guidance when closing the gripping opening of the forceps. Another aspect
of importance is that, by virtue of the forcep arms being of the same
shape, the two pairs of portions formed on the sides of the forceps are in
reverse mirror image relationship relative to each other. That
considerably improves the guidance effect.
In the present case the gripping element which is engaged by the fingers of
the surgeon or other user comprises radial ribs in the form of parts of
rings, which form rings when the opening of the forceps is in a closed
condition. Those part-ring ribs are formed by shaping peripheral grooves
in the arms of the forceps structure. The rib surfaces are roughened by
portions formed thereon.
The invention thus generally provides a simple throw-away article with the
advantages already described hereinbefore.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further advantages, features and details of the invention will be apparent
from the following description of preferred embodiments and with reference
to the drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a forcep instrument comprising two forcep halves,
FIG. 2 is side view of the structure shown in FIG. 1 with the forceps in
the rest condition,
FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to that shown in FIG. 2 with the forceps in
the gripping position,
FIG. 4 shows one of the forcep halves,
FIG. 5 is a view on an enlarged scale in section taken along line V--V in
FIG. 4.
FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are end views as indicated by the arrows VI and VII
respectively in FIG. 2 and arrow VIII in FIG. 4, and
FIG. 9 is a sectional perspective view of part of the forceps.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A forceps or tweezer instrument 10 of a length for example of 150 mm, as
indicated at a, as shown in particular in FIG. 1, comprises two forcep
halves 11 and 11.sub.a which are of the same shape and which bear against
each other with their inside surfaces 19. The forcep halves in this case
together give a forcep height h of about 8 mm. Of the above-indicated
overall length a of the forceps 10, the projection length b of two
gripping tips 14 which are fitted into forcep arms 12 occupies a length of
about 10 mm.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, each forcep half 11 and 11.sub.a has a closed
zone 18 which extends from an end face 16 which provides a fin-like
enlargement portion 15. The length i of the closed zone 18 is about 60 mm
while a slit-like space 20 which extends between the forcep arms 12
terminates at the closed zone 18. The space 20 begins at the ends 24 of
the forcep arms 12 and the edges of the slot or forcep arms, as indicated
at 21, converge in a tapering configuration at an acute angle w, to the
deepest part as indicated at 22 of the slot-like shape. The taper angle w
is greater than an angle t which is structurally delimited by the
co-operation of two longitudinal grooves 26 flanking the slit 20. That
means that in the region of the deepest part of the slit 22, the edges 21
of the forcep arms are disposed at a spacing q of for example 1.2 mm from
the respectively adjacent longitudinal groove 26 as shown in FIG. 4. At
the ends 24 the arms 12 extend almost exactly at the angle t of
longitudinal grooves 26. The angle w formed between arms 12 is defined by
inner groove walls 27 formed adjacent longitudinal groove 26, as shown in
FIG. 5.
A gripping zone 30 of a length f of more than 30 mm begins approximately at
a spacing e--in this case about 16 mm--from the deepest part 22 of the
slit configuration; peripheral grooves 31 are provided to define ribs 32
which are in the form of part rings, with shaped portions thereof of
triangular cross-section, providing a knurling configuration 33.
Shown in FIG. 3 at the end of each gripping zone 30 which is towards the
tip, on each forcep arm 12, is a knob-like shaped portion 36 and 36.sub.n
which projects into the slot 20; the two portions 36 and 36.sub.n are
laterally displaced relative to each other in the direction of the central
line M of the forceps. The inside surface 37, which faces towards the
center line M, of the portion 36, is in contact with the adjacent inside
surface 37.sub.n of the other portion 36.sub.n in the gripping position
shown in FIG. 3, that is to say when the forcep arms 12 are pressed
towards each other. The contact between the pairs of portions 36/36.sub.n
as described above provides for very precise guidance of the arms 12 of
the forceps instrument during the gripping operation.
With reference to FIG. 4 projecting from the inside surface 19, outside of
the center line M, is a pin 38 while a corresponding blind hole 39 is
disposed opposite to the pin 38, in mirror image relationship therewith,
on the other side of the center line M; when the two halves 11 and
11.sub.a of the forceps are fitted together the pin 38 of one half engages
into the blind hole 39 in the other half. The longitudinal grooves 26 then
also co-operate to define channels.
There is no need here to further describe the feature that tips 14 can be
fixed in the channels defined in the forceps 12, by the longitudinal
grooves 26, with the tips 14 being of any cross-sectional shape in regard
to the free end. The point of significance is that the gripping tips 14
are supported non-rotatably in the longitudinal grooves 26, which can be
done by virtue of a polygonal cross-section or by virtue of portions of an
inwardly extending configuration or an outwardly extending configuration,
in the longitudinal grooves, while portions of outwardly extending
configuration and inwardly extending configuration respectively on the
base portion of the tips then engage into the corresponding portions in
the longitudinal grooves.
In the case of the illustrated forceps 10 which are used as coagulation
forceps, the gripping tips 14 are connected to electrical cables which
extend in the channels 26 and which terminate for example at plug pins 40
which in turn are fixed in the channels 26. In a particular embodiment
each gripping tip 14 is part of a bar of electrically conductive material
which is fitted into the channel 26 and which terminates in the form of a
plug pin 40.
When the forceps 10 are used as one-way operation forceps, it will be
apparent that the electrical fitments are omitted.
It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the
illustrations described and shown herein, which are deemed to be merely
illustrative of the best modes of carrying out the invention, and which
are susceptible of modification of form, size, arrangement of parts and
details of operation. The invention rather is intended to encompass all
such modifications which are within its spirit and scope as defined by the
claims.
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